This Spark: A One Shot
by Anarchy.For.Her.Chaos
Summary: "My name is Bella Swan, and I've been spending the past eight months believing that all love does is break, burn, and end. But on a Wednesday, in a cafe, I watched it begin again." AH, HEA, OS, Complete!
1. Bella POV: This Spark

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is another re-post, but it's a complete one shot. This came about from a bout of writer's block with my original fic. In a few days, i wrote this entire story to mainly get it out of my brain. This story is inspired by Taylor Swift's "Begin Again". The lyrics included here all belong to Miss Taylor Swift and Andrew Belle (Pieces). Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, only the things I make them do. All character credit goes to Stephenie Meyer**

It's Wednesday and despite all of my grumblings and death glares, my best friend is forcing me to go on a date. Not just any date mind you, but a blind date. It's a well-known fact among my friends and family that I don't do blind dates, mainly because they tend to be unbearably awkward, but my best friend of fifteen years is a persuasive woman who will stop at nothing short of getting what she wants. In this case what Angela wants is for me to get back in the dating scene. I find myself standing in front of my bathroom vanity mirror in my prettiest dress. It's a classic little black wrap dress with white lace running along the bottom hem and around the "V" neckline.

The weather outside is beautiful but just a tad bit chilly, so I grab my white cardigan and slip on my black slingback wedges. I stand for a moment and look myself over. I've kept my makeup minimal using just foundation to match my pale-as-a-ghost coloring, blush to add color to my face, mascara to highlight my wide eyes and make my long lashes standout, red lip gloss to call attention to my lips and the little cupid's bow thing above my top lip, and a subtle sweep of eyeshadow the color of burnished gold to make my boring brown irises pop. I'm not quite sure what to do with my hair so I grab a black shiny headband and push my grown-out bangs to the top of my head. I've curled my waist length hair lightly so that the finished product is an "effortless" wave. Not too shabby Bella. I check the time on the clock hanging above my toilet and see that I've got roughly forty-five minutes to kill.

When Edward called on Sunday evening to set up our date, we had a pleasant conversation and he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Since he's new to town he wasn't sure of the best places yet, and he asked me for suggestions. After a moment of weighing my options, I suggested JavaBean. The coffee there is to die for and the sandwiches offered for lunch, delicious. It's also three blocks away from my loft. I figure that if the date goes awry or if Edward turns out to be Ted Bundy I don't have far to run.

So with a reassuring smile to myself in the mirror and a few deep breaths, I throw my small silver studded clutch bag over my shoulder and walk into the living room. I spot Angela sitting on our couch reading a book and shoot her a wave. When she peels her eyes from the page to look at me her eyes light up. In the blink of an eye, Ange is standing in front of me, book cast aside, pulling my headband off and making an off-center part in my hair.

I give her my side eye and she laughs. "Trust me, Bella. With your headband on you looked like you were seventeen, not twenty-seven. Now you look gorgeous babes. Go knock Edward's socks off! I love the heels by the way." She gives me a hug and then proceeds to push me towards the door. With a laugh, I say "I'm going, okay?!", and then close the door behind me. Here goes nothing…

I turn the lock on the door handle from the inside, just in case Angela forgets. As I make my way to the single elevator in the building I fight with my purse to get out my headphones and cell phone. I push the down button and the plug in my headphones. Once everything is connected properly I tap the shuffle button and I'm suddenly taken back to one of the last arguments that I had with Mike. All over a stupid song that marked the beginning of the end.

 _Nine Years Ago_

Angela, Alice and I were trying to decide what to do with our summer before college, and we kept coming back to the idea of camping on the beach. It sounded amazing. Three days of fun in the sun. Three girls hanging out young, wild, and free. Due to our lack of a proper tent and sleeping bags, we made a trip to Newton's Outfitters, a new store on the south side of town. While the three of us shopped around, a young, and frankly over eager clerk offered to help us out. His name tag read 'Mike' and he had a nice smile, sparkling blue eyes, and short cropped blonde hair. While he seemed borderline cocky there was also something inherently good about him. So I shamelessly flirted with him, and he flirted right back.

He always seemed to find a way to touch me. While he guided us to the displays of large tents, his hand was on my lower back. When he pointed out the pros and cons of the different sleeping bags, his arm brushed mine. As I went to grab a single sleeping bag off of the shelf, Mike unabashedly stepped up behind me and reached over my head to grab it for me.

And of course, I blushed.

With all of our items ready to be checked out, the three of us followed Mike to the cash register.

As Angela, Alice and I walked to my car and someone yelled out "Ladies! Wait up!".

We turned around to see Mike walking swiftly to us. My first thought was that we forgot to pay for something, but I was quickly proven wrong.

When Mike finally caught his breath he smiled at me sweetly.

"Bella, I couldn't let you leave here without getting your number."

I blushed again and my face broke out in a shy smile.

"O-Okay." I stuttered out. I reached for his phone and entered in my name and number, and then called myself.

"Okay," he said with a cheek-splitting grin, "Well it was awesome to meet you guys, but I gotta get back before they fire me."

With that he proceeded to walk back towards the store, smiling the whole way, until he ran into the door.

After we put away the bags in the trunk and climbed into my 2000 Jeep Liberty, a graduation present from my dad, I turned to my best friend and my sister, and we squealed.

 _Two Minutes Later..._

"Bella, Mike just sent you a message!"

Ali called out from the backseat. It wasn't surprising that Ali was reading my messages because I made it a habit of always handing her my phone while driving.

"Well, what does it say! Do not keep me in suspense here sis!"

"He said 'hey itz Mike :)' Oh my God, Bella! We've barely just left the parking lot! Eeeee!" Alice said while bouncing in her seat.

"I know right! Wasn't he super cute though?" I asked, overly excited.

Angie turned to me from the passenger seat and said "Girrrrl that boy was haute," and then proceeded to fan herself. I nodded in agreement for a second and then asked, "What should I say back?". Suggestions were shouted out at the same time from both girls at the same time.

"Well hellooo handsome!" Ali suggested while Ange suggested "Hey hot stuff ;)"

I chose neither.

"Tell him... 'Hello to you too.' and add a smiley face."

Angela rolled her eyes and Alice started typing out what I said.

Hopefully.

 _Two Weeks Later_

After we got back from our camping trip, which ended up lasting a full week, Mike finally asked me out. We decided to go to the movies - his treat- and then to dinner. Friday just happened to be Mike's day off, and seeing as I quit my job on the last day of high school to enjoy the summer, I had no plans. With the help of both Angie and Alice I picked out an outfit, and they convinced me to let them tackle my hair and makeup. After thirty minutes of sitting in a chair with my eyes closed, I finally was allowed to look. Angela had braided my hair intricately in a french braid off to my left shoulder and Alice had done my makeup minimally.

I looked beautiful.

I hugged them both and showered them in thanks. We all walked down the stairs at my house and sat in the living room to wait.

And wait.

And wait..

And wait...

After waiting for more than an hour for Mike to show, I started panicking. The 'what ifs' flew around my mind until I had to shut it all out. Finally, I decided to pick up my cell and call him.

I mean what's the worse that could happen.

Before I got to my phone, there was knock at the door. I jumped up and ran to answer it, hoping to beat my dad. But he was quicker. Charlie slid into the foyer, still wearing his work uniform, and smirked at me. When I tried to slide under his arm, he held me back with one arm and grasped the doorknob with the other. I whispered fervently "Be nice please, Daddy!"

He smirked at me again, then said "Please step back Isabella. Let your old man do his job."

I cringed but complied.

Charlie swung the front door of our house open to reveal Mike standing there, sweating bullets. When he saw Charlie in his cop uniform, he paled.

"Good evening, M-Mi-Mister Swan? I'm Mike... Newton, sir. I've come to take B-Bella out tonight. If that's...okay... with you?", he held out his right hand expectantly, while his left hand stayed behind his back.

Charlie stared at him rudely for a moment and then shook his sweaty hand. After a moment of awkward silence, Charlie cracked a smile and invited Mike inside with a sweep of his arm.

"Come on in, kid."

Mike looked at Charlie's retreating form for a second and then turned to me with a smile.

"Bella, you didn't tell me your dad was a cop. He's pretty scary" he whispered.

I couldn't help it. I giggled and then leaned in to whisper "Just be glad he didn't start cleaning his Glock on the table. Trust me it's a good sign."

Mike laughed and then pulled his left arm around to the front and presented me with the prettiest bouquet of flowers ever.

"Thank you. They're beautiful, Mike." I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before running to the kitchen to put them in a vase.

When I came back Mike asked if I was ready and I nodded yes.

I grabbed my purse and house keys and with a wave to everyone, we walked out the door.

I opened the passenger side of his car and slid inside of his old beat up Honda Accord. Mike closed his own door and started the car.

On the way to Century 16, the nicer movie theater in town, Mike gave his explanation for being late.

"So when I was leaving my house, I decided to stop and get you flowers. I ended up having to go to three different florists. By the time I made it to your side of town, my gas light came on and I had to stop again. I'm so sorry for being late Bella! I can promise you that it's not my usual style."

He flashed me a smile and any annoyance I felt faded.

 _Two Months Later_

 **M: hey sexyyy how goes it**

 _B: The usual... Hanging with Al n Ange. U?_

 **M: nuttin much im bored itz my day off and i wanna c u ;)**

 _B: Yeah babe we can hang. Whatcha have in mind?_

 **M: you n me with no cloths and sum music ;)**

 _B: Mike..._

 **M: im jus kiddin babe**

 _B: But still... We've talked about this. I'm not ready and you said you weren't gonna pressure me._

 **M: sry babe i just want you so much sumtymz that it hurts**

 _B: Awwww. Apology accepted babe._

And just like that, I melt. He says the sweetest things sometimes.

sigh*

We had been dating for two months now. Everything is pretty much great, except for two things. I was leaving in the fall to study in Austin, and Mike was staying here in Corpus Christi. And his lack of punctuation when texting. But we don't talk about it.

I think about what I want to do on a beautiful warm and sunny Saturday morning. I immediately text him my suggestion.

 _B: We should go to the beach at Bob Hall. Just u and me? Whatcha say?_

His response comes before I can put the phone down.

 **M: mmm sounds awesome u wanna take ur jeep so we dont get stuck this time**

 _B: That's totally doable. Meet me here at 10:30?_

 **M: ill be there**

 _B: Okiedokie!_

I wait a minute or two to see if he'll text back.

Nothing. So I rush through getting ready and packing a bag to take with me. On my way to the stairs I poke my head into Ali's room to let her know where I'm going, but she's fast asleep so I leave a note.

 _Six Hours Later_

"GO AWAY MIKE!" I yell as I run up the front steps of my house.

"Bella! Bella please... just stop and listen for one minute babe. Please!" Mike says, right on my heels.

But he doesn't know that I can't stop. If I stop and listen to reason instead of my heart...

And now I'm crying.

It was never supposed to end this way.

It should have been a summer fling with a hot guy.

He wasn't supposed to fall in love with me.

I wasn't supposed to love him back.

Now it's my turn to plead.

"Mike, please... I know how you feel about me, but by asking me to stay, you're asking me to give up on my dreams, myself. And I can't. I'm too selfish for that."

The look on Mike's face shattered my heart. But still, he pushed on. "What if you go. You go to UT and I'll go to TAMUCC. We'll stay together. We can do it, I know we can make it. Please..."

I steeled my resolve. "Mike, baby, you and I both know that long-distance relationships never work. All you have to do is ask any other couple who tried. Plus we're both going to college. In a month. We won't have time for each other. It's better that we end this now before we get any further in this thing."

"Okay Bella," Mike said with defeat in his eyes, "If this is how you want it to play out, I'll go. Goodbye B."

"Goodbye, Michael Newton."

I turned and walked through my open front door to see my father posted up at the kitchen table. Without a word, he held me tight while I cried.

 _Six Years Later_

"Hey, Ali! Get your butt out here. I need to go to the bank." I shouted to my little sister from the register at Beautiful's Bakery.

Things had worked out well for us. I went to the University of Texas and graduated with my bachelors. Major in Culinary Arts and Minor in Business Management. Alice Majored in Accounting and Minored in Business Management, and Ange got her Bachelors in Marketing with a minor in Business Management. This was our plan.

My second year at UT around summer break, I got a call from the police letting me know that Charlie had been doing a routine speeding ticket when someone pulled a gun on him. There was a struggle and the gun went off. He died during transport. Alice and I drove home the same day to identify him and then sort through his affairs. During the reading of his will that took place two days after his funeral, Alice and I found out some shocking news. Our father had invested his savings wisely and we were going to inherit roughly three million dollars each, that is once we graduated from college. In the meantime, his trust would pay for tuition and housing. Because of our tragedy, we were allowed to take our finals at a later date.

So when Alice and I graduated from college, after signing some documents with the estate, we were millionaires.

We would have traded every penny to have Charlie back.

During Ali's senior year she met a really nice guy, Jasper. One year later, they were married in a simple church wedding where Ange and I were her Maids of Honor.

Angela is dating her high school crush Ben Cheney, who happened to go to UT as well. They ran into each other one day on campus their junior year. Kismet.

I've dated a few guys over the years, but with the Grand Opening of Beautiful's Bakery, I've barely had time to breathe.

DING*

I'm brought out of my thoughts by the ringing of the bell over the door.

"Welcome to Beautiful's!" I say while plating a batch of red velvet cupcakes, my back to the front door.

When I look over my shoulder to greet my customer, the fake smile is replaced by a real genuine one.

"Bella Swan in the flesh everybody!" Mike says with a cocky grin on his face.

I rush around the counter to hug him.

"Mike Newton! Last I heard, you were running the San Antonio location of Newton's Outfitters?" This is said into his shoulder because he's hugging me tightly.

"Nah, not anymore. Dad got sick a little while back and Mom called me home."

"Oh my Gosh, Is your Dad okay?!" I ask

"Oh yeah," Mike says with a chuckle, "He's bounced back remarkably well. Now that I'm back though, I took over management here. The other day one of my employees was going on about this new place that opened up recently, called Beautiful's Bakery, and that they make the best sweets. I thought 'Why not stop by on my lunch break and check it out.' Imagine my surprise when I see your face through the window."

"Wow, that's so crazy..." I say offhand because my first love that I haven't seen in over six years is hugging me.

"Well looky who we have here folks!" Alice says brightly, breaking up the moment.

"Alice Swan! How are you?" Mike says equally brightly.

"Mike, it's Alice Whitlock now," Alice says while showing off her ring.

"Congrats Ali!" Mike says, wrapping her in a hug.

For about an hour Mike hangs around. We talk and reminisce about that summer. When he signals that he has to go, something in my chest tightens, screaming 'No! Not Yet!'.

And then I feel silly because he may not even be single.

This time though, I take the initiative to get exchange numbers before we part ways.

 _Later That Evening_

As I pull into a parking spot on the street, my phone chirps with a text. I put the car in park and then search for my iPhone in my bag. I'm surprised to see a text from Mike.

My stupid heart skips a beat.

 **M: Hey Bella! It's Mike. It was so nice to see you today. If I didn't tell you before, you're more beautiful than I remember. This may be forward of me, but I have to ask. Are you seeing anyone?**

My lungs stop working for a moment.

 _B: Hi Mike! To answer your question no, I'm not seeing anyone at the moment. Who wants to know ;)_

What followed after that was flirty conversation.

Which led to spending every free moment together.

Which led to 'I Love you'.

Which led to losing my virginity to Mike Newton.

Which led to a toothbrush next to his.

Which led to clothes in his drawer.

Which led to me officially moving in.

 _Nine Months Ago…_

I'm sitting on the second-hand couch in our studio apartment, going over new cupcake recipes for my bakery, listening to an Indie radio station. One song ends and another starts up that I instantly recognize. The song is intense. The beats build and swell and then recede, but the lyrics are almost cutting. The first time I heard the song it brought me to tears because the lyrics rang so very true. Now when I hear it my reaction is more subdued and I find myself humming along. By the time the chorus comes around, I'm practically belting out the lyrics:

'There's too much smoke to see it, there's too much broke to feel this. I love you, I love you and all of your pieces."

And that's how Mike finds me, belting out the lyrics to an angsty song that signifies a person realizing their relationship is in shambles. "What are you listening to Bella? Again with this moody shit?" He reaches over my shoulder, hits the pause button on my keyboard, and kisses the top of my head "When we first met you actually had good taste in music, sweetheart." He says this in an undeniably condescending tone. I know that I shouldn't take the bait, I do. "Maybe I wouldn't listen to 'moody shit' all the time if I actually had something to be happy about."

The second the words are past my lips I want to grab them from the silent, stagnant air and shove them back in. Since I can't do that, I just say "I'm sorry, baby."

For a moment he looks like he's ready to bite my head off, then he sits down on the couch and sighs.

"Can we not do this today, Bells? We both know how it goes. I come home and you're in a piss poor mood. I make one innocent joke and you step all over my balls for it. I just want one day where we get along like we used to. Is that too much to ask?"

I smile tightly at my boyfriend of three years, nod my head, and kiss him on the cheek.

But right in that moment, I know there will be no more 'like we used to' because we stopped being those people.

When the elevator dings to announce its arrival on the fourth floor, I'm yanked back to the present. The doors slide open and push my unwanted memories away as they close.

When I walk out through the glass front doors of Nueces Lofts, I'm momentarily blinded by the sun hanging high in the crystal sky. I let out a small chuckle to myself because the weather and I have always had a love/hate relationship. It's utterly unpredictable and a tad bit deceptive. For example, today. If you were to look out the window and see the sun beaming beautifully, the palm trees swaying gently, and the sky above as blue and clear as the bay, you'd assume that the temperature would be in the seventies or higher. You would be dead wrong. As I turn left on Peoples Street and walk through shadows formed by the quaint buildings of downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, the wind whips around me, vicious and bitterly cold. A violent shiver runs down my spine and I pause for a moment to pull on my cardigan sweater.

A little bit warmer now, I continue my three block trek. When the next random songs blasts through my earbuds, I laugh out loud. A woman standing at the crosswalk with me actually maneuvers her stroller, toting a snot-nosed toddler, a few feet away from me. I give her a friendly smile, but she just eyes me warily from the corner of her eye. What's her problem? Just to make her more nervous, I begin singing the lyrics and doing an awkward dance to "You Make My Dreams" by Hall Oats. As soon as the light changes she takes off at a speed walk, glancing behind her to make sure the crazy lady doesn't follow her. She just totally made my day.

By the time I spot JavaBean, a small yet charming cafe, I'm almost excited about this blind date. I push the power button on the side of my phone to check the time, and see it's 11:43 am. Seven minutes is plenty of time to get there. When I walk in the door I'm not quite sure who I'm looking for. Alice, my little sister, and co-owner of our bakery, only gave me a vague description of Edward Cullen. She said he walked in last Friday while I was at the bank dropping off Thursday's deposit and stood to look at all of the different treats for over fifteen minutes. When she offered her help, Edward admitted that he'd never been here, but was craving sweets.

Unsure what to get He asked for a recommendation, and Alice, ever helpful, recommended the Double Chocolate Molten Caramel cupcake. According to Alice, he sat at a table and tentatively took a bite and then finished it quickly. When he ran to the counter with wide eyes and asked who had made it, my sister ratted me out. Edward insisted he had to meet the person who made such a rich, moist, but not too sweet cupcake. Alice then proceeded to tell him all about me, including the fact that I'm single, and gave him my number. When I came back to Beautiful's Bakery, Ali squealed while recounting the whole encounter, even going as far as to tell me that he was my future husband. I flat out refused to entertain the idea. At home later that day I told my roommate Ange all about the whole ordeal that my sister orchestrated and she squealed. Angela Weber is not a squealer. It's one of the things I love about her. She pleaded and cajoled me into it with the promise that, if it didn't work out, I never had to go on another blind date. The rest, as they say, is history.

So as I look around the cafe for a red-headed man, mid-to-late twenties, with green eyes, I'm disappointed not to find one. He's probably running late, Bella. My pessimistic inner voice says. On my second sweep of the place, my brown eyes lock with green eyes. There's handsome a guy holding up a napkin with BELLA SWAN? scrawled in black sharpie, kind of like those limousine drivers you see in movies waiting for someone important. With a cautious smile on my face, I nod. I start walking towards him and when there are less than ten feet between us he stands and waves with a small sweet smile on his face. This date might not be so bad. The optimistic voice in my head says.

When I'm standing right in front of Edward at a small, two-person table, I have fleeting thought.I'm going to kill Alice. Then bring her back to life just to hug her. Edward Cullen is not cute. No. No. No. This man is freaking gorgeous. His hair isn't red, but more of a coppery bronze color. It's kind of long and a few strands hang loosely in front of his eyes. Man those eyes. Not only are the warm and kind, but they're this vibrant electric green. As I'm admiring his full lips I realize that they're moving, forming words that I can't comprehend because I'm staring… I shake my head for a few seconds, to regain my bearings. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Instantly, I feel myself blush. "I was just saying that you look lovely and that I might be a little ummm under-dressed." As he says this my eyes flick down past his face to take in his clothes. Edward is wearing a charcoal gray button down, a pair of jeans that fit him exceedingly well, along with a pair of black Converse. He looks nice and I tell him so.

"Don't worry about it. My Momma always said 'Dress as if at any moment you'll meet the man of your dreams,' and so I do." I blush. Again. For a moment Edward looks serious, thoughtful, and says "Are you sure? I mean I could go home and change into my tuxedo?" And then he laughs, like a full on belly laugh, head thrown back and everything. It's the kind of laugh that you simply can't resist. Infectious. And I laugh too. And suddenly it's not so awkward. After Edward composes himself he motions for me to sit down, but when I step forward to pull out the chair he beats me to it. I murmur my thanks to him. And I blush again. I mean who is this guy.

I suddenly have the craving to know.

We've been perusing the menu for the past five minutes. I should say I have been perusing the menu while Edward not-so-subtly peruses me. It's not at all creepy though, I think it's sweet. The first time that I caught him staring was right after we had picked up our menus. I looked up from mine at the same time as he did. Our eyes held for a full thirty seconds and then I looked back down. The second time wasn't even a full minute later. My cheeks were still warm from thirty seconds of intense eye contact when I glanced up to ask if he had ever been here, only to find him with a small smile on his face while he took in my blush. Then Edward blushed and it was the cutest thing I've ever seen.

I smile and then duck my head again, this time actually looking at the menu. When I've decided on what to order I fold my menu and put it on the table quietly. This time I'm the first to look, but Edward is absorbed in his menu. I look at his hair and the way that the sunlight makes it glow. I take in the way his nose is almost perfect, except for a slight curve and bump at the bridge. Edward catches my eyes again. He smiles and it's blinding. His eyes kind of crinkle at the corners and one-half of his face lifts higher than the other. Charming.

Again I get lost in that face of his until the waitress clears her throat delicately. This time Edward looks away first. We place our orders; a small Cafe Latte for me and a Cappuccino for Edward with the As Big As Your Head Cinnamon Roll on the side, cut in half. After handing over our menus Edward resumes that charming smile of his for a few seconds, most likely mulling over what date appropriate question to ask first.

Finally, he says " So, Bella, tell me about yourself." I don't know why this is so humorous to me, but I giggle. Like a super girly giggle. After a second he joins me. And there goes that laugh again. Infectious.

"What's infectious, Bella? For a split second, I'm lost. Confusion turns into shock, which turns into mortification. I groan and drop my head in my hands. That's just so me. Leave it to Bella to lose her internal filter over a handsome guy. "You think I'm handsome?" Edward asks in a flattered tone. I immediately drop my hands from my face. Edward has on that charming smile again, except this time I detect a twinkle of mischievousness in there as well. I look at Edward, who's still smirking, and ask "What else have I let slip due to my lack of a filter?"

"Well you called me 'charming' earlier, but that's it." I groan again.

Dear God, please let me die. Thank you. After a few seconds, Edwards reaches out his hand and says in a strangely formal tone, "Hello, I'm Edward Cullen."

I look at his extended hand for a second and then shake it. The warmth of his large hand is nice...comforting. "Hi, I'm Bella Swan. It's nice to meet you." We both blush.

"So..." Edward begins hesitantly after our waitress leaves.

"So?" I raise a questioning eyebrow.

"You see, now I'm kind of afraid to ask you any questions. Every time I've tried, you laugh at me." Edward says with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Just ask your question, Edward," I say with a smirk on my face.

"Okay... Can you tell me about your family? What was it like growing up?" He's so nervous.

"See! I didn't laugh. That's a really good question." I'm stalling. Edward looks at me expectantly, so I continue.

"My family... right now... Maybe I should start from the beginning?" I state, but it comes out sounding like a question. Edward nods in encouragement.

"Well for me my family growing up was very... stable. My parents very rarely argued. They seemed so in love. When I was three, my parents found out that they couldn't have any more kids, so they set out to adopt. After about six months they got a call from child services saying that they had a potential match. They were expecting a baby. When they walked in to see the child, there was Alice. She was my age, just three months younger, but so very tiny. With these big blue eyes and long black hair. She was abandoned by her mother, and they couldn't find her father.

"She looked up at my mom and dad and said, 'I knewd you was comin for me today! I be good! I pwomise. Can we go home now?', and my parents were goners. They brought her home with us as a foster, and then immediately filed for adoption. After that, things couldn't get much better. I had a little sister who I adored. It took a while to adjust to sharing my parents, but it was like Ali was meant to be with us. After that, it was pretty much a normal childhood. We went on family vacations and road trips." I pause. Here is where things got difficult, but for some reason Edward made me want to bare my soul. So I do.

"When I was ten my mom, Renee, she went to a routine doctor's appointment, and after running some tests, they found breast cancer. She took the news as good as expected, but we lost her nine months later." Edward lays his hand on mine for comfort. To give me the courage to continue.

When I start to speak there's a lump in my throat, but I push on. "It was rough on the three of us, but we made it through. In my second year of college, I found out that my dad, Charlie, was killed during the line of duty. Alice and I took that pretty hard. I mean he was our only family. After that Ali and I stuck pretty close together. We made up our own traditions. Took our own family vacations and road trips during summer and Christmas breaks. Of course, we included Angela at every opportunity, because she was family too, you know?"

When I look up, Edward's electric green eyes are shining with unshed tears.

Edward's crying over my pain.

To lighten the mood that I created, I crack a joke. "Personally I think Alice and I rock the whole orphan thing!"

Edward looks at me strangely for a second, seeing straight through my bullshit, but he goes along and lets out a breathy chuckle.

As I dry my eyes on a napkin I say, "Now it's your turn, Edward Cullen. You seem to have found out everything about me, yet I know nothing about you, sir!"

And there goes that infectious laugh again.

"Well, my family was pretty normal. I was born in Chicago to Elizabeth and Edward Cullen, Sr, but I don't remember them well. They went out on New Year's Eve and left me with a sitter, and they never made it back. On their way home, they were hit head-on by a drunk driver. My aunt and uncle, Esme and Carlisle, came they raised me and my brother/cousin Emmett. They talked to me often about Mom and Dad. They told me stories and showed me pictures. They never let me forget." Edward pauses and takes a deep shaky breath, "When I was five, I decided to call them Mom and Dad because that's what they are to me. They're the best parents any kid could ask for. Carlisle is a doctor and when he got a job offer here about ten years ago, we moved. Esme was a stay-at-home-mom until we went off to college, now she dabbles in interior decorating..."

Edward doesn't finish his sentence because he's interrupted by:

 _'Oooooh we called it off again last night_

 _But ooooooh this time I'm telling you_

 _I'm telling you_

 _We are never ever ever getting back together_

 _We-eee are never ever ever getting back together_

 _You go talk to your friends_

 _Talk to my friends_

 _Talk to me_

 _But we-eee are never ever ever ever getting back together_

 _Like... EVER'_

My phone stops ringing and I feel all of the color rush from my face.

No. No. No. How ironic that Mike would call me in the middle of a date. NO.

I reach into my bag and silence my phone. When I look up Edward has a bemused smile on his face and says, "So that's an interesting ringtone."

I blush.

"It's just a reminder." I say and give him my best smile, " So where were we?"

A short while later our order arrives and we both smile gratefully, murmuring our thanks. When I glance down at the dessert that we ordered, my eyes widen. This thing is huge. The cinnamon roll is actually larger than the dessert plate that it's served on. I'm glad that I didn't get greedy and order on for myself. The waitress, Jess, brought two extra plates and forks as well. We tuck into our drinks and divvy up the gigantic cinnamon roll; falling into a comfortable silence.

I find out that Edward has a couple of cute tendencies. When he tears into his packaged sugar he opens each one separately and then rolls them into tiny balls. On the last package instead of rolling it up, he tucks all of the others into the tiny used packet. When he looks up at me afterward, the tips of his earlobes tinge pink.

So freaking cute.

Also, when he's nervous or embarrassed, Edward runs his hand through his hair making it stand up on end.

Super cute.

When all of the caffeine and sugar have been consumed and the check has been paid (by Edward, because he insisted), we decide to go for a walk.

Because Corpus Christi is a beach town it's a relatively short walk.

Three blocks to be exact.

That's three whole blocks that Edward has my hand grasped in his.

I squeal a little on the inside.

We walk along the edge of the water at McGee Beach in a comfortable silence, neither of us wanting to break it.

Edward finally whispers "I've been in Corpus for two months now, and this is the first time I've been here."

I look at him like he's crazy.

"How is it you've lived here for that long and this your first time visiting?" I ask in shock.

"Well... mainly I've been waiting to go with someone special." Cue the blush, "I didn't want my first beach experience to be lame."

And, of course, I blush.

"You think I'm special?" I ask with a touch of awe in my voice.

It's Edward's turn to look at me like I'm crazy.

"Of course! You're sweet and beautiful and funny. Plus you have great taste in coffee shops. Why wouldn't I think you're special?"

I have an overwhelming urge to kiss him senseless. Instead, I duck my head and slide my hands into the pockets of my sweater.

Once I've recovered from my kissing urges I say, "So... Edward, what do you do for a living?"

When I'm greeted by silence I chance a look at him. The expression on his face hard to decipher. I look at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. Without warning, he closes the distance between us and cups my face in his large hands.

Edward searches my eyes for a moment while his own eyes pin me down with their intensity.

And then I see it.

That look.

The one that says 'Prepare yourself. I'm about to kiss the shit out of you.'

And he does.

I hesitate all of maybe half of a second, and then I'm kissing Edward back.

It's messy for a second before we find our rhythm.

Top lips and bottom lips and just the right amount of tongue to drive a girl crazy.

And then we're both gasping for air.

Slowly the kiss tapers off into soft chaste pecks and nuzzles.

And then we're untangling ourselves, because somehow my hand ended up in his hair, his hand around my waist.

When our eyes meet, it's all soft and sweet smiles, because yeah... that just happened.

I can still feel the sting of Edward's kiss on my lips, taste his flavor on my tongue like sugar and coffee. I reach up and touch my fingertips to my lips to hold the sensation there for a moment longer. Edward reaches for my hand, fingers outstretched and I take it. Something about holding his hand feels right.

Perfect.

"What's perfect?" Edward asks quietly.

I groan in mortification. Apparently, this is what my mouth does now.

"Nothing," I say because it's too soon.

"Okay. So what were we talking about before I so rudely interrupted you?" Edward asks with that same glimmer of mischief in his electric green eyes.

I have to really force myself not to get lost in them.

"Um, I was asking you what you do for a living? I think..." I say uncertainly.

Edward's face breaks out into another killer smile, and I smile back.

"That's right. We were working our way down the list of classic and cliched first date questions." I giggle and nod my head to encourage him to continue

"Bella, before I answer your question I feel the need to apologize. I shouldn't have kissed you like that without asking your permission. It's like I was staring at your mouth and I couldn't think straight enough to answer you. Not until I kissed you." When he smiles, half of his mouth lifts up, and it's beautiful. "But to answer your question, I'm a financial advisor."

I'm shocked. Of all the things I thought he would say, "financial advisor" doesn't fit the bill.

My face must register my shock because Edward says "Yeah, I know. It wasn't what I grew up wanting to do. The estate lawyer who handled my parents' affairs, James Hunter, did a crap job. He didn't invest it well and it made Carlisle and Esme so angry, but they didn't know the first thing about finance. When I turned 21 and I got my hands on my inheritance, I immediately began diversifying and investing. I did it well, apparently. So Carlisle encouraged me to go into finance."

"So, you're a numbers nerd huh?" I squeeze his hand to let him know that I'm joking.

He chuckles lowly, and my God it's the sexiest sound I've ever heard.

"Try not to look so shocked Bella. Just because I don't wear Urkel glasses and a pocket protector, doesn't mean I'm not a nerd. I actually hide my inner-nerd well."

It's my turn to laugh at myself. Don't judge a book by its cover, dude, I mentally chide myself. I can feel the tell-tale warmth of gracing my cheeks.

"So how did you end up being a baker? I bet that's an interesting story." Edward prods me. By the look on his face, he's actually interested. That's different.

"No it's not really that interesting, but I'll tell it all the same. When Alice and I were like twelve we used to make these concoctions, desserts mostly. They would be random recipes that we would tweak to make them taste better. Sometimes it worked out. But then again sometimes they didn't." I recall such an instance and throw my head back laughing like a little kid. "This one time, Alice got it stuck in her head that she wanted to make snickerdoodles. You know - the really soft cookies with cinnamon and sugar. Kinda tart. Well, everything worked out well, up until she realized that we were out of cream of tartar. So she looked it up and found out that you can substitute 'the juice of a lemon'. So, Alice being her special self put the juice of an ENTIRE lemon in the cookies." I start giggling just telling the story, and Edward joins in. "We took one bite of those cookies, and turned around and threw them all away! We were only supposed to put in half a teaspoon of lemon juice. They were so freaking sour! Completely in- ow shit!"

I abruptly stop speaking because I just stepped on something sharp with my bare foot. I try to hop around on one foot, unsuccessfully, before Edward gently supports my elbow while I examine my foot. When I get a good look at the bottom of my foot my world tilts on its axis. There's blood smeared on the arch of my foot and a jagged shell sticking out of my skin.

At the sight of my blood outside of my body, my ears start to ring. It's faint at first, like a mild case of tinnitus. It swiftly morphs into something louder and more acute until I can no longer hear the sounds of the beach.

My vision is next. Slowly the color leaches from my world until everything is bathed in shades of gray. When the skin on the back of my neck starts to prickle, I know that I'm about to faint. Dear God help me! Please don't let me faint on my first date with Him. Thanks. I pray.

And then my world goes black.

I slowly come into consciousness to the tune of seagulls squawking, and Edward's panicky voice.

"Come on Bella, sweetheart. Please wake up. I just found you. C'mon…" Edward whispers. He sounds really worried, as he should. Fainting may be old news to me, but for Edward, this probably seems like a freak occurrence. I'm about to open my eyes and put him out of his misery, but Edwards warm hand cups my face. His fingers on one hand trail down my neck, probably feeling my blush of embarrassment, and the fingers on his other hand cup my face. I freeze, unsure what to expect. I feel a set of warm lips press to my forehead, and I let my eyes flutter open.

It takes a few seconds for my vision to acclimate, but once they do I'm able to take in a set of troubled green eyes. Eyes so vibrant and sweetly concerned, for me, that my breath is stolen from my lungs. At that moment, Edward releases a gush of air in relief and crushes me to him. My faces flames at the realization that I'm draped across his lap.

Sweet baby Jesus! Please please just let me die.

Edward's body shakes with the force of his chuckles, and I realize that I've done it again. I try to burrow my flaming face under his chin, but Edward pulls back with an amused grin on his face.

"Well, at least I know you're awake, Bella. What happened? I mean one minute we're talking and the next, you're passing out on me. Scared me half to death." Edward shakes his head, and I watch the humor slowly fade from his expression.

I close my eyes, breathing deep. "I can't even believe that we're having this conversation right now. I mean this is the kinda thing you admit once you're deep into a relationship, not on a first date." I sigh. "You're gonna think it's stupid."

What I don't say is that Mike laughed every time I got woozy at the sight of blood. Asshole.

"Impossible…" Edward mutters.

I smile despite the situation. So sweet. "Edward. I...I fainted because I saw blood."

Going for the unexpected, Edward sits up with me still in his lap. "Bella, it's not stupid." He says 'stupid' like a dirty word. "Anyone who says differently can come see me about it. I'm just glad you're okay." He cups my face gently, asking "Where are you hurt? How are you hurt?"

I try to pull my foot over my knee, but with the angle and my dress, it's not quite possible. Edward must sense my dilemma, because he swoops one arm under my knees the other behind my back, rising slowly from the sand to his knees and then his feet. It all happens so fast and seems so easy for Edward. Almost like he goes around carrying women weighing close to 160 lbs every day. Despite how swoony and dainty and cherished I feel right now - because every girl wants a guy who can carry them in an emergency, I can't let this continue.

But look how strong he is… Focus Bella!

"Edward, put me down, please! You're going to throw your back out." I try to keep the swoon out of my voice, I swear.

Edward just tightens his grip and tsks at me.

"Not to brag, Bella, but I bench press 190. You don't weigh half that. Besides, there's a picnic table right there." He points with his head to a table about 5 yards away. Even carrying me and walking briskly, Edward's not even out of breath. Impressive.

When we get to the picnic table, Edward sits me down gently on the table top and hops up next to me. "Okay Bella, let's see that foot." Edward gently pulls my feet onto his lap to examine them.

After looking at the sole of my right foot for a few seconds, he pulls a handkerchief, an actual friggin handkerchief, from his back pocket and dust the debris off. His brow drops into a frown, and I start to worry, until Edward says "It's not bad. Do you know what type of shell this is?"

I shake my head.

"It's a razor clam shell. It's no wonder this cut is so deep, this shell is literally razor sharp. I don't think you'll need stitches, but you most definitely need a bandaid." Edward frowns, most likely trying to come up with a solution, but lucky for me I'm clumsy. I bring my bag around from my side and dig in until I find my tiny dollar store first aid kit. I emerge triumphant holding up the small jam-packed clear envelope.

Edward quirks an eyebrow. "Do these things happen to you a lot Bella?" He looks genuinely concerned, like maybe he wants to know for future reference.

I smile self deprecatingly, because here comes the disillusionment in 3...2...1…

"Edward, I hate to break it to ya, but I am so clumsy some days it's like a disability. Also the floors hate me, the table and chairs are bullies, and walls get in my way. So yes. These kinds of things happen all the time, ever since I was a kid. Add in the fainting and I'm a hot mess some days." I frown, because this is a lot of truth for a first date.

Edward is silent for a moment, still studying my foot. "Are you trying to scare me off Bella? Because I have to say your doing a terrible job at it. I find it endearing that you faint at the sight of blood. Also I don't mind catching you." I'm speechless. Like fully certified, cannot think of a single word to reply, speechless.

So I kiss him.

Hard.

I throw my arm around the back of his neck and pull him down to my level, laying one on him. This time, it's Edward that's doing the catching up.

When I need to breath I slowly pull back, gasping for air. I touch my lips to his for a second, just for the connection.

"That is the sweetest thing that anyone has said to me. Ever."

Edward blushes and also manages to look a little smug too. Not sure how that's possible.

After bandaging my injured foot and retrieving my shoes from the sand, Edward suggests that we head out. He persuades me to let him carry me off of the beach so I don't get sand on my foot. Of course I say yes. While Edward is walking my head rests on his shoulder, my fingers running through his hair. It's an intimate pose, yet not uncomfortable.

Once we're free from the sand Edward sets me down gently on my feet. Thankfully my shoes are comfortably padded. We start walking in the direction of Edward's car so he can drop me at home, and I feel as if I should disclose my dating history, that consists of one guy, because Edward feels like he could be important. I've been holding his hand now for the last block, so when I grip it a little tighter, preparing to bring him up, Edward asks "What are your plans for thanksgiving?"

I'm so thrown that I kinda forget what I meant to say. Instead, we end up talking about traditions, and what movies his family watches for Christmas. For the first time what's past is past. As I lay my head on Edward's shoulder, listening to his laugh, I realize that I've been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does is break, burn, and end, but today on a Wednesday, I can see it begin again.

"Hey you're awfully quiet over there." Edward whispers, breaking me out of my reverie. I smile up at him apologetically. "I was just… thinking."

"Oh yeah. What about?" He asks with a smirk firmly planted on those lips. I feel my face heat up.

"Everything…" I say a little wistfully. "Do you know that despite the fainting and the injury, this has been the best date ever Edward?"

Edward smiles down at me and his ears tinge pink. "Well I'm glad. I'm also so glad that I listened to your sister. She said she had a feeling about us. I guess you should never bet against Alice, huh?"

I laugh out loud because I've been saying that for years. "Yeah that's true." When I look up, we're back at JavaBean, and Edward's pointing to a silver Toyota Camry, and opening the passenger side.

Edward asks me for my address so that he can put it in his GPS. For a second he doesn't say anything, and then a look of bafflement crosses his face. "You live in Nueces Lofts Bella?"

"How did you know?" My brow drops in my confusion.

"Because I live in Nueces Lofts"

The coincidence is too much, and we laugh about it while Edward navigates the streets.

"Well, this is me." I stand in the doorway of the elevator to keep it from closing, because God only knows how long it'll be before Edward gets another car.

Pulling me close, Edward cups my face and kisses me so sweetly, bidding me good night. I step back, allowing the elevator doors to close between us. I'm on cloud nine.

As I float on home, I can see one blind date turn into flirty conversations.

Which could possibly lead to spending every free moment together.

Which will probably lead to 'I Love you's that mean everything.

Which will most definitely lead to me forgetting about any of my times with Mike Newton, because when Edward and I come together it will be fucking magic.

Which might lead to a toothbrush next to his, clothes in his drawer, maybe even me officially moving in. But we won't lose the magic, because this spark that I feel…

This is what true compatibility feels like. What finding your soulmate should feel like. Our future is just getting started. It's not written in stone, and that's okay with me because I don't want a happy ending, I want a happy beginning.


	2. Edward POV: Never Bet Against Alice

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, only the things I make them do. All character credit goes to Stephanie Meyer.**

Outtake: Never Bet Against Alice

 **EDWARD**

I'm on my lunch break and I've been craving sweets all day. Last week, when I was driving home, I saw a sign for this bakery. I was instantly intrigued but I didn't have enough time to stop. Today, I've got all the time in the world. More precisely, I've got an hour and fifteen minutes to get my ass back to Volturi, Hunter and Associates. Instead of driving and risk losing my great parking spot, I decide to walk. I take my briefcase with me and close my office door behind me. I walk down the hallway briskly, preparing myself for what happens everyday.

"Hey, Edward!" Vicky says in her syrupy sweet sing-songy voice. Every. Damn. Day. I shoot her a wave in acknowledgement, but keep up my brisk pace. Every day since I started working here she's flirted shamelessly with me.

I hate every second of it.

First of all, she's a cougar. The woman has to be at least in her late forties if her crow's feet are any indication. She wears a different variation of the same outfit everyday, an inappropriately short pencil skirt with a low-cut blouse and pumps. Secondly, she's married to James Hunter, one of my bosses. I won't even pretend to understand their relationship. I mean if _my_ woman, my _wife_ flirted openly with other dudes constantly, I'd be asking for a divorce.

One of these days she's going to get my ass fired.

I practically run from her presence before she can sink her ruby red claws into me _again._ When I get to the elevator I press the button and wait impatiently, hoping and praying that Vicky doesn't need to leave for lunch. When the doors slide closed and I'm safely inside, I breathe a sigh of relief. I slowly relax as the numbers drift down from 26 all the way down to 1. The doors slide open and I step out into the brightly lit lobby, the grimace on my face morphing into a smile.

I wave at Jim the security guard on my way out of the sliding glass door of the building, and he nods in my direction. Once I'm outside, I loosen my tie and wait at the crosswalk for the light to change. I pull out my phone and pop in my earbuds and scroll through my library until I find a suitable song for walking. The light finally changes, and I start my trek towards Beautiful's Bakery.

I stand in front of the door to the bakery, and I smile. The sign is a caricatured blushing woman with freckles and flowing brown hair, a smile on her face, holding a tray of cupcakes with icing towered on top. The woman is wearing a gingham apron inscribed with 'Beautiful's Bakery' in curlicue script. I pull open door and my senses are immediately overwhelmed with all of the different scents. There's a really short woman standing behind the counter loading up a tray of cupcakes. When the door closes behind me, a bell overhead rings announcing my arrival. She whips around in my direction with a smile on her face.

"Welcome to Beautiful's! What can I getcha?" She asks excitedly. With that one statement, I can tell that she's just naturally effervescent. There is such a wide variety of treats that I stand shocked for a moment. After a moment of me just staring, I finally say "Umm… I'm not sure. Can I look around for a moment?" The woman smiles and says "Sure take all the time you need. My name's Alice. Just give me a holler when you're ready." Alice steps back from the counter and starts loading in _more_ cupcakes to the old fashioned diner display.

The variety of cupcakes is overwhelming. Every type of cake I've ever heard of is represented by at least the half dozen along with more exotic flavors. There's German Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Red Velvet, Sock-It-To-Me, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Curd, Key Lime, Chocolate Raspberry, Black Forest, and Banana's Foster. That's just on the first two shelves.

There are also full cakes in the same variety. I can't even begin to choose.

I'm so focused on trying to make up my mind that I don't hear Alice step up to the counter again. She laughs and it kind of sounds like tinkling bells. "Overwhelming isn't it?" She says with laughter in her voice. She kind of reminds me of Tinker Bell.

I nod. "It's actually my first time here. I'm Edward by the way. I don't know what I expected when I walked in, but it most certainly wasn't this." I gesture to the display case of goodies. "I work up on the hill and I just really wanted something sweet. What's your favorite?"

Alice squints her left eye at me, maybe sizing me up, and then says "You strike me as a chocolate man. Am I right?" I nod, more than a little freaked out. "Good. So we just started a new recipe for a Double Chocolate Molten Caramel cupcake. It's our regular chocolate recipe plus ribbons of melted dark chocolate run through, with melted caramel in the center. It's kind of still in the taste testing phase, but we'd love your opinion!" Alice takes a pair of tongs and lifts an innocent looking chocolate cupcake with toffee colored frosted onto a plate. She carries the plate over to the counter area and I pull out my wallet. Alice refuses to take my money, so when she turns her back I slip it into the tip jar.

I sit down at a table close to the front so I can continue perusing the selection. Absently I lift the cupcake and flip back the wrapper and bite down warily. The very moment the decadence passes my lips, I actually moan. Out loud. There are no words to best describe what I'm eating. It's rich and velvety, gooey and salty sweet. I take another bite and another, and then one last bite. I slide back the chair and leave the plate on the table, my briefcase on the floor, and practically run to the counter.

"Alice, if you don't mind me asking, who made these amazing cupcakes?" For a second she looks wary, and then she gets this faraway look on her face, almost like she's seeing something that I'm not. The smile on her face turns mischievous and she says "My sister Bella is the mastermind behind all of our recipes. Why?" There's a trace of suspicion in her voice again. I smile before replying "Alice, I need to _worship_ at the feet of the genius that made such a rich, moist, but not too sweet cupcake. Hell, if she's single, I might even _marry_ her." My eyes go wide at what I've just said, but Alice smiles.

"Well Edward, you sir are in luck. My sister is _very_ single at the moment. Unfortunately she's not here for you to worship." Her eyes light up and she leans across the counter like she's about to tell me a state secret. "I'll tell you what, if you take my sister out on _one_ date, I'll send you home with the rest of these here cupcakes." She gestures to the tray with a dozen of my new favorite cupcakes on them, and waggles her eyebrows in a silly manner. "You'll love Bella. She's sweet and kind, smart, beautiful, and she knows how to cook. _Anything_. I'm not asking you to marry her or anything, but I think y'all would get along great. _Plus_ she'll get a break from this place. If y'all don't hit it off, you go your separate ways. Simple."

I take a moment to think through this crazy proposition from this strange woman. "Okay Alice. You've got yourself a deal." She proceeds to do a happy dance with a squeal thrown in. I laugh because it's pretty comical. And then a thought dawns on me. "Alice, how do you know I don't have a girlfriend?" Immediately the happy squealing and dancing halts and Alice leans forward conspiratorially again.

"You're going to think I'm crazy…" She shakes her head and says "Ever since I can remember, I've had a sixth sense about people. A second sight if you will. I'm an excellent match maker and I can always tell when a person is _good_. Like you. And my husband, Jasper. So when I saw you, I instantly _knew_ you and Bella would be good together." Alice frowns deeply "And now I've freaked you out! It's not as invasive or creepy as it sounds. I just get a deeper read on people than most. So If I had gotten a bad 'vibe' from you, I wouldn't have said anything."

Now normally, I don't believe in the supernatural, but the earnestness on her face makes me want to believe. "I believe you. I'm freaking the fuck out right now, but I believe you Alice." I chuckle nervously, because _really! A clairvoyant._

Five minutes later, I leave Beautiful's Bakery with a full dozen of Double Chocolate Molten Caramel cupcakes and Bella Swan's phone number. _My day is looking up._

I'm sitting in my office on a Sunday afternoon with my phone in my hand and a smile on my face. I've been exchanging texts with Bella all weekend, and I'm starting to think that alice was right. From our conversations I've seen that Bella is witty, sweet, and kind. I've yet to see her face, but I look forward to the day I do.

When I first called her on Friday after my lunch, Bella was extremely wary and demanding. She wanted to know who gave me her number and why. When I fessed up that it was Alice, she _hung up on me._ I stared at my wallpaper for a few minutes flabbergasted and a little butthurt. Seven minutes later, she called me back to apologize. I was tempted to call the whole thing off, but then she started mumbling to herself about being rude. I decided right then and there that I would give Bella the benefit of the doubt. If Alice thought we'd make a good pair, I at least had to see one date through.

It's Wednesday and I'm going on a date. Not just any date, but a blind date. All week long I've been looking forward to this. The more that I've texted Bella, the more my nerves have eased. I look at myself in the full length mirror on the back of my bedroom door. I struggled with what to wear before finally settling on my dark grey button down shirt, a pair of dark jeans, and a pair of classic low cut Chuck Taylors. I tug on my collar and undo a button. I've still got about an hour before I'm due to meet Bella at JavaBean. I have heard nothing but good things about that place, the highest of accolades coming from Bella. You know a restaurant is good when a baker complements it.

I walk into my living room and plop down on my sofa, turning up the volume on my flat screen. I listen to a recap of Mike and Mike arguing over who had the best stats of the year on ESPN. When I'm tired of their foolishness I change the channel to NBC. Kathy Lee and Hoda are sipping red wine and swooning over Blake Shelton (the dog), and I can't handle that. I switch off the TV and head towards my front door. I swoop up my wallet and keys from the bowl Esme gave me for my 'sofa table'. I walk to the elevator in my building and I see the doors sliding shut. I try to catch the doors before the close, going as far as yelling to the woman inside. I glimpse a head full of brown hair, pale skin, and a pair of white headphones before the doors shut all the way.

 _Damn. It._

I love living in Nueces Lofts, but these elevators are as ancient as the building. It can sometimes take as long as five minutes for the car to return. I step back and watch the old fashioned elevator floor indicator go all the way down to L for lobby _slowly_ and then inch it's way back to the fourth floor.

The doors slide open and I quickly step in pressing the button for the lobby. I take a deep breath, and I catch the scent of flowery perfume and cookies. It's such an odd mixture that I breathe it in again and again, trying to tease it apart. It reminds me of _something_. I don't contemplate it for long because the elevator touches down on the first floor and I step out and hold the doors for an elderly couple.

My GPS directs me to turn into the lot of Java Bean and for a moment I'm confused. The parking is around the back, but the sign there says 'Parking for Executive Turf Club'. I park anyway and pray that I don't get towed. I lock up my car and start walking towards the red brick two story building I'm assuming is JavaBean. I spy what looks like the back entrance to the coffee shop and pull it open. I'm hit by a blast of coffee-infused cold air and a yelled out "Welcome to JavaBean!"

I take a look around and instantly like it. The decor is subdued, a mix of South American and 50's diner. There are giant coffee beans sacks hung on the walls for decoration and probably air freshening. The ceiling fan blades are made of wicker, and there's an entire wall covered in a bottle cap mural of the Americas. The coffee menu is written out on a giant chalkboard behind the counter, and there's a revolving rack full of sweets.

I think about all of the blind dates that I've been on (two), and I'm struck by a genius idea. I walk up to the counter and there's a bored girl with shoulder length curly brown hair reading a book. She's so engrossed that I have to clear my throat. She looks up in panic, resembling a cornered mouse, and I smile to reassure her. She stands so quickly that the barstool she was perched on almost topples over. She blushes furiously and whispers "I'm _soooo_ sorry about that. Please don't tell my boss!" I wave a hand to show that it's not going to be a problem. "Okay then. How can I- I - mean what can I get for you?"

I put on my most winning smile and ask "Do you happen to have a sharpie that I can borrow? I'm meeting a friend here for the first time and I wanna make a sign." Her brow drops and I'm guessing that she expected a different answer. She reaches under the counter and comes out with an old coin box full of markers. "If you can get one of those to work for you, you're welcome to it. Lemme know when you're ready to order." She goes back to her stool, and I take a handful of sharpies and a few napkins to a table near the middle.

After writing out Bella's name in bold sharpie on a napkin, I return the markers to the girl behind the counter. I wait for what feels like forever. Everytime the door opens I search for my mystery girl. Brown hair and eyes, that's what Alice said. I'm about to give up after the fifth or sixth time that the door has swung open, and then it opens again. A beautiful woman walks in wearing a dress that hugs _all_ of her curves. Her hair is brown, but it's a rich and lively brown. The wind blows and her hair dances on the breeze. Her makeup is beautiful and not overdone. In that moment I pray that it's Bella that just walked into JavaBean. With a hopeful smile on my face I hold up the sign that I made, and I wait. I watch as this woman's eyes sweep the room once, twice, a third time. I can see her brow drop, maybe in disappointment. I start to worry that maybe, just maybe, I'm not the man she's looking for. Finally her eyes focus on me and I watch enraptured as she reads her name and smiles. She walks to me a little unsurely, and I stand like Carlisle taught me to do so long ago. When Bella is standing directly in front of me, one thought echoes through my mind:

 _Thank you, Alice!_

 _A/N: Thank you for reading! I just wanted to provide a glimpse into Edward's mind and to see how they came to meet._


End file.
